[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 10 (Friday, January 15, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4125-4126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-00929]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

[OMB Number 1121-0314]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comments Requested; Resinstatment of a Previously Approved Collection: 
Firearm Inquiry Statistics (FIST) Program

AGENCY: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Department of Justice.

ACTION: 60-Day notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs, 
Bureau of Justice Statistics, will be submitting the following 
information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until 
March 16, 2021. If you have additional comments especially on the 
estimated public burden or associated response time, suggestions, or 
need a copy of the proposed information collection instrument with 
instructions or additional information, please contact Connor Brooks, 
Statistician, Law Enforcement Statistics Unit, Bureau of Justice 
Statistics, 810 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20531 (email: 
[email protected]; phone: 202-514-8633).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Written comments and suggestions from the 
public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of 
information are encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of 
the following four points:

--Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary 
for the proper performance of the functions of the Bureau of Justice 
Statistics, including whether the information will have practical 
utility;
--Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
--Evaluate whether and if so how the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected can be enhanced; and
--Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.

Overview of This Information Collection

    (1) Type of Information Collection: Reinstatement of the Firearm 
Inquiry Statistics Program.
    (2) The Title of the Form/Collection: 2019-2021 Firearm Inquiry 
Statistics Program.
    (3) The agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of 
the Department sponsoring the collection: The form number is FIST-1. 
The applicable component within the Department of Justice is the Bureau 
of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs.
    (4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as 
well as a brief abstract: Through the Firearm Inquiry Statistics (FIST) 
Program, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) obtains information 
from state and local checking agencies responsible for maintaining 
records on the number of background checks for firearm transfers or 
permits that were issued, processed, tracked, or conducted during the 
calendar year. Specifically, state and

[[Page 4126]]

local checking agencies are asked to provide information on the number 
of applications and denials for firearm transfers received or tracked 
by the agency and reasons why applications were denied. BJS combines 
these data with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) National 
Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) transaction data to 
produce comprehensive national statistics on firearm applications and 
denials resulting from the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 
1993 and similar state laws governing background checks and firearm 
transfers. BJS also plans to collect information from the Bureau of 
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) on denials screened 
and referred to ATF field offices for investigation and possible 
prosecution. BJS publishes FIST data on the BJS website in statistical 
tables and uses the information to respond to inquiries from Congress, 
federal, state, and local government officials, researchers, students, 
the media, and other members of the general public interested in 
criminal justice statistics.
    (5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount 
of time estimated for an average respondent to respond: A projected 
1,091 respondents will take part in the FIST data collection with an 
average of 25 minutes for each to complete the FIST survey form.
    (6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated 
with the collection: The estimated public burden hours associated with 
this collection is 455 hours annually.
    If additional information is required contact: Melody Braswell, 
Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, 
Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Two 
Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE, 3E.405A, Washington, DC 20530.

    Dated: January 12, 2021.
Melody Braswell,
Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S. Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. 2021-00929 Filed 1-14-21; 8:45 am]
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